SC to hear plea against Kerala's decision to cull stray dogs

New Delhi: Supreme Court today decided to hear a PIL seeking a direction to immediately stop culling of stray dogs in Kerala claiming the state administration was on a rampage carrying out the order "indiscriminately, barbarically and in the most cruel, grotesque and monstrous manner".

A bench of Justices T S Thakur and V Gopala Gowda did not pass any order on the PIL and said that the matter would be heard on November 18 by another bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra which is hearing similar pleas.

The PIL, filed by advocate Anupam Tripathi, has termed Kerala government's July 9 decision to cull stray dogs in the state as "illegal, cruel and barbaric". "That vide an all-party meeting chaired by the Chief Minister of State of Kerala dated July 9 has decided to cull and destroy over 2.5 lakh stray dogs in the State of Kerala.

"The Municipal Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram and all similar local municipal bodies in State of Kerala have been given instructions and decision to carry out this culling and destruction of over 2.5 lakh stray dogs in the state.

"It is being submitted by the petitioner that the municipal bodies in State of Kerala are now indiscriminately, barbarically and in the most cruel, grotesque and monstrous manner are on a rampage in carrying these orders of the Chief Minister of State of Kerala and if some reliable sources are to be believed as per newspapers reports and animal rights activists in Kerala, more than 300-1000 plus stray dogs are being mercilessly hacked to death each day in the most cruel fashion," the plea said while seeking an immediate ban on it.

It further said the decision was also against the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the Animal Birth Control Rules (ABC Rules) and the provisions of the Indian Penal Code among other laws.

It has sought a direction "to set up an independent Committee" to investigate the killings of innocent stray dogs in Kerala since July 9.